American Herds-Walking with Sunshine (US)

This is just too juicy, and comes from our favoritest equine reporter researcher writer and defender of wild horses and burros.

We tempt you with these tantalizing tidbits:

By CINDY MacDONALD
American Herds

WALKING WITH SUNSHINE

Recently, veteran journalist George Knapp jotted down a few quick thoughts about BLM’s promotion of Nevada Wild Horse & Burro Lead Susie Stokke (a.k.a. Susie Sunshine) to a shiny new position at the National Program Office.

George Knapp says that thanks to Susie Sunshine, who was recently promoted by the BLM, their corrals are overflowing with potential Mr Ed Burgers due one great talent -- other than boldfaced lying -- and that is removing wild horses by the thousands, tragically not to the safe haven she would have people believe.

Appropriately titled, “How To Get Promoted At The BLM: Screw Up”, the Knappster reminisces how he always found Susie overflowing with optimism about the Wild Horse & Burro Program despite catching her red-handed telling lies about the budget, wild horse deaths by gathers, by outbreaks of disease, by poisoning, by shootings and a miserable state adoption record. He also mentions the overflowing corrals filled with what he coins as potential “Mr. Ed Burgers” due to the only thing he acknowledged she was good at – removing wild horses by the thousands.

(Note: Let’s not forget the criminal charges filed by a Las Vegas local against Ms. Stokke alleging inappropriate behavior, hostility, intimidation, humiliation, threats, coercion, etc. while he was attempting to adopt a mustang. Click here to view.)

Well, the Knappster got to wondering, just what is Susie doing at the National level these days? So I asked her and straight from the horse’s mouth – so to speak – here’s how she described her new position.

“I am a National WH&B Program Specialist. I am responsible for professional and technical assistance, policy guidance and training for WH&B specialists in the ten western states. My replacement will be Alan Shepherd, who is currently in Wyoming. He reports on June 21st. In the interim, I continue to support Nevada’s WH&B Program, together with Paul McGuire, who is currently on detail to Nevada from Oklahoma.”

Well, if it’s not enough to scare the bejeezus out of us that she is now training everyone in the WH&B Program to mimic her techniques, further inquiry revealed part of the “policy guidance” she was referring to includes helping craft the new National Policy Manual for the WH&B Program.

That’s right, BLM was so happy with her ability to be caught in bold face lies, intimidating those trying to adopt mustangs and being able to smile all the while wild horses were dropping dead like flies without the slightest accountability, they decided Sunshine’s special techniques must be permanently incorporated in the Program on a nationwide scale!

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